The Rapid Response team of the Maine Department of Labor has met with and continues to be in close contact with the management and unions of Verso Paper Corp. in Bucksport planning and implementing assistance for the more than 500 affected workers.

Commissioner of Labor Jeanne Paquette stated, "This effort is all about coordination and communication between our Rapid Response staff in Augusta, our CareerCenter in Bangor, the company, the unions, the workers, and community partners. I have been heartened by the outpouring of support from regional employers and organizations that want to connect these workers with new jobs. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you want to help." 

The Rapid Response team met with the union and company officials on Oct. 6. At that meeting, department officials distributed the needs assessment forms, which will be collected and processed over the next two weeks. The needs assessment asks workers to self-disclose information such as skills, certifications, degrees, desired training, as well as veterans status and other details that will aid in identifying the next steps for each affected worker. 

As workers complete and return that information, other assistance will be provided. Scheduled events (subject to change) include resume assistance workshops that started this week and Rapid Response Information Sessions on site at Verso during the week of Oct. 20 with both afternoon and evening sessions. A job fair will be held on site on Monday, Oct. 27. 

In addition, the 17th Annual Fall Career Fair will be held at the Bangor Mall, 663 Stillwater Ave, Bangor from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

Following these events, additional meetings addressing healthcare options, possible TRADE assistance, workshops and job and resource fairs will be scheduled. A regional transition team is already in place and has been addressing the needs of workers affected by the other recent mill layoffs in the region. They will be meeting on Oct. 14 in response to the Verso situation and will assist in planning and providing additional support and follow up.

"We remind employers that the department's first place to look for jobs for affected workers is the Maine Job Bank, which had 8,400 jobs listed late Tuesday, an all-time high. We thank all employers who have let us know of their openings and suggest that they post them on the Job Bank athttp://www.mainecareercenter.com ," said Commissioner Paquette. "We want workers to understand the support that is here for them as they make the best decisions for themselves and their families. They do not have to make this transition alone."

The Bangor CareerCenter will be the point of contact for those affected. The CareerCenter, located at 45 Oak Street, Suite 3, Bangor is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. More information is available on the CareerCenter website, http://www.mainecareercenter.com .

Maine CareerCenters are equal opportunity providers. Auxiliary aids and services are available to individuals with disabilities upon request.

Stockton Springs Community Library will host its Annual Children's Halloween Party on Saturday, October 25th, 1 - 2:30 PM. Children (and adults) are encouraged to wear costumes. There will be a costume parade, games, stories, crafts, and treats.  Admission is free and everyone is invited to attend.

Stockton Springs Community Library is an all volunteer library located in the historic Colcord House at the corner of Main and Station Streets in downtown Stockton Springs. For more information phone 567-4147 or visit www.stocktonspringslibrary.org.

Boiler Operator Course offered at Northern Maine Community College

Thursdays, October 30 - February 26   6-9pm

Cost:  $495, textbooks additional

Capacity: 20 students

To register:  Contact Leah Buck, 768-2768 or lbuck@nmcc.edu

A flyer with additional course description and details will be sent out next week.

Leah Buck

Assistant Dean of Continuing Education

Director, Northern Maine Area Health Education Center (AHEC)

Northern Maine Community College
33 Edgemont Drive
Presque Isle, ME 04769
V: (207) 768-2768 Fax: (207) 768-2723

Photo courtesy of PMM

Saturday, Nov. 1

8:00 am to 2:30 pm, 

University of Maine Hutchinson Center, Belfast, Maine, 80 Belmont Avenue, Belfast, Maine

Stalking the Elusive Historic Photograph

Bill Bunting, Maine historian and author of A Day's Work: A Sampler of Historic Maine Photographs 1860-1920 

Beyond Nostalgia: Four Maine Women Photographers at the Turn-of-the-Century

Libby Bischof, Associate Professor of History, University of Southern Maine 

Photography and American Literature: From Ideal to Real

Close to the Land & Close to the Sea: The Photography of Kosti Ruohomaa

Deanna S. Bonner-Ganter, Curator of Photography, Art, and Archives, Maine State Museum

Register Now

Online at  https://historyconference.eventbrite.com  

Or call 207-548-2529

 www.penobscotmarinemuseum.org 

The third annual Maine Farm to School Conference will take place at Ellsworth Elementary and Middle School on Saturday November 1st, from 9am to 4pm. The conference is organized by the Maine School Garden Network, the Maine Farm to School Network, FoodCorps Maine, and Maine Agriculture in the Classroom, in partnership with Healthy Acadia and Ellsworth Public Schools.

The aim of the conference is to bring educators, school food service staff, and farm to school and garden organizers together to share best practices from around Maine and the country. Workshops will include: Local Purchasing and Processing; School Orchards; Seed Saving; Best Cafeteria Practices; Boat to School; Extending the School Garden Season; Waste Reduction and Cafeteria Composting; and much more. Speakers will include: Chelsea Simpson of the National Farm to School Network; Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Commissioner Walt Whitcomb; and John Piotti, President of Maine Farmland Trust.

In previous years this hugely successful and popular conference has taken place in Unity and Portland. This year, conference organizers are pleased to bring it to a new region of Maine. "This is an incredible opportunity for teachers, school cooks, parents, students, and school administrators from the Downeast region to hear from state and national level experts on Farm to School, as well as to share their wealth of experience from the region's growing Farm to School movement" says Katie Freedman, Food, Farm and Nutrition Program Manager at Healthy Acadia.

Conference registration costs $20, and is now open at www.eventbrite.com/e/2014-maine-farm-to-school-conference-tickets-12930825447. A local foods lunch will be provided by Ellsworth Public Schools. For more information contact Ken Morse, Maine Farm to School Network Coordinator, atkenmorse@mac.com or 393-0134. 

The Down East Business Alliance(DBA) Incubator Without Walls (IWW) Business Energizer and Business Management Training program is being offered to, and for, Hancock County entrepreneurs, micro and small business owners. DBA is a division of the Washington County Community Agency (WHCA).

The IWW program has been offering this unique training since 1996 in Washington and Hancock Counties. During this time IWW has graduated 500+ members and helped to create 375 jobs/businesses in both counties. 

The IWW program is returning following a two-year absence when then Business Management Counselor, Jeff Akerman retired. We are pleased to be offering this National Award Winning program once again for would be entrepreneurs in Hancock County. 

Classes will be offered evenings on a bi-weekly basis in Ellsworth at the WHCA offices on the Bucksport Rd. There is a pre- and post- application process and space is limited.  Those interested should apply as soon as possible.

                
 You can download an IWW membership application, fact sheet and business planning worksheet at http://www.downeastbiz.org
 

For answers to questions, contact:

Roland A. Bechard, M.S., CED
Down East business Alliance
1 College Drive
Calais, ME 04619
(o) (207) 610-5979
(c) (207) 214-2192
rbechard@whcacap.org